The Journal cited an anonymous source as saying that Amazon decided that dividing its second headquarters between two locations would spread the economic benefits as well as burdens - such as pressure on housing and transportation.

But Alec Karys, a startup adviser and investor, who briefly worked for Amazon in 2004, said the Virginia and NY moves "make no sense" to him. Vavra said there are now about 1,000 employees in NY and 2,000 in the Arlington and D.C. area.

Amazon, based in Seattle, is apparently seriously considering an area known as Crystal City. They just appear to be extracting the maximum amount of corporate welfare while providing the bare minimum in return. Texas has a lower cost of living and no state income tax.

The latest developments seem to run counter to what Amazon promised when it started the process. More than a quarter of its US tech and managerial workers are already based outside Seattle.

"These large companies are really getting constrained where people where people are commuting two hours and living five to a house", he says. For example, Amazon's Atlanta offices focus on fulfillment technologies, while Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania hosts machine translation research.

Amazon's announcement over a year ago that they would establish a second headquarters that is a "full equal" to their original headquarters in Seattle was seen as a snub of the city.

Some cities got creative with their offers. By the time the deadline hit five weeks later, 238 proposals were submitted.

AP/Frank Franklin IILong Island City is reportedly one of the locations that Amazon has chosen for its HQ2. "You would make the unaffordability that much worse and be competing for more jobs for the workers". The Seattle-based company has been on the hunt for a new home - or homes - for more than a year.

But we won't! Amazon required cities to sign NDAs. As recently as 2010, Amazon had only 10,000 employees there. But as the company provides few updates, theories and leaks about which city will be crowned victor continue to swirl - and this week has brought a fresh flurry of news.

Mystery of Saudi sisters found tied together in Hudson River
A witness reportedly saw the two girls early on October 24 on a playground near the Hudson, where they appeared to be praying . Officials from the Department of Homeland Security declined to comment and referred questions to the NY police.Monday, November 05, 2018

Brexit: Britain, EU strike financial services deal
Also, the International Monetary Fund said that the consequences of Brexit may hit hard the financial system of the EU. Negotiators are now looking at different alternatives to try to break the stalemate, the officials said.Monday, November 05, 2018